Do you wish you had a quick checklist to track your success? It's not in to-do/ta-da! lists. These are helpful and vitally important, to be sure, but I'm talking about how you feel. How do you feel when you complete a project, when something amazing happens or when you realize that you have accomplished a goal that you had thought was impossible? Do you celebrate or diminish your success?

If you catch yourself saying any of the following (or some rendition thereof):

(after receiving a compliment) "Yeah, but my (body part) is still kind of big/ugly/fat/too skinny/whatever-other-perceived-imperfection."

(after hitting all green lights on your commute) "Well, that was a fluke. It'll never happen again."

(after receiving thanks for anything) "Oh, no problem! It was nothing!"

STOP THAT! Those types of reflexive responses, without any thought, are blocking the flow of abundance! Yes…flow, abundance, airy-fairy speak for some, I know. But think about it. Have you ever paid a compliment to someone only to hear all the reasons why you are either wrong or that they do not deserve the compliment? How did you feelin that moment? It feels a bit like one foot on the gas, one on the brake.

Do you want more out of life? Do you want improved self-confidence, better health, more success, a great relationship, more money? Are you willing to make some changes? If so, then consider printing the list below and practicing this every day. Commit to 7 days, and make note of how different you feel each day. Then extend this practice to 21 days, keeping track of how you feel. Note any changes in your life, your outlook, what "happens" around you and what you notice. After 21 days, see if you are practicing these 7 things regularly without thinking much about it. WOW! You have formed a new habit, and I predict at a bare minimum, that you will experience change. It is up to you if that change is positive, though I am pretty comfortable saying that I believe you will experience positive change.

Below is a list of the 7 things I have learned, re-learned and re-re-learned, especially in the last few months, and I share them with you freely. You're welcome (insert goofy emoji smiley face of your choice).

Here are the 7 things you need to know to be successful:

Get CRYSTAL CLEAR on your vision, and believe in it relentlessly.

When a door doesn't open, make sure you've tried pulling as well as pushing - just in case.

If the door doesn't open either way, lean back and look to see if it's a facade; the real door is probably very close by, and all you need to do is adjust your view so you can see it. Then gently push/pull that door, or find a window and do the same.

Draw up your plan, then let go of the exact details of the final outcome. Think: "This or even better…"

Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.

BELIEVE that "it" will come together. When you believe it, you will see it.

CELEBRATE and invite the flow of abundance. Stay open to it, do not diminish the good stuff. The more you allow yourself to see and feel the awesomeness of your accomplishments, the more you will accomplish.

I wish you the best of success as you continue to strive toward your highest fulfillment. You've got this.

Lately I have been hearing about a lot about courage and strength. A friend who is going through a difficult time recently said to me, “I just have to be strong and carry on,” which got me thinking: do we really have to be strong to keep going? I would argue that it does not always require strength to keep going. I am reminded of a woman I worked with a number of years ago who was undergoing treatment for breast cancer. At one point, she was very ill from the chemo drugs, and in a moment of frustration and extreme fatigue, she told her husband she felt like she wouldn’t be able to carry on, to which he replied, ‘You have to; we need you.’ She said she experienced a renewed sense of courage to face this disease head-on and to carry on, even in the absence of strength. She was physically and emotionally depleted, and yet she gathered up her might and continued forward. The last I heard, more than 10 years post-treatment, she has been cancer-free and living a very happy, healthy life.

Have you ever asked for help when you felt you didn’t have the strength to carry on?

Have you not asked for help when you didn’t have the strength to carry on?

What kind of outcome did you experience?

Did you learn?

Did you grow?

“Courage isn’t having the strength to go on - it is going on when you don’t have strength.” - Napoleon Bonaparte

Even in the worst of times, we can gather our courage and carry on without strength. I would even argue that one of the most courageous acts we could undertake would be to ask for help when we feel we do not have the strength to face or manage something on our own. We are encouraged to be independent, even fiercely so, and yet, by nature we are interdependent. We need one another at times, and there is much opportunity for growth and learning when we ask for help.

I invite you to consider asking for a helping hand here and there to get comfortable with the idea of receiving. One day, you might truly need someone’s assistance, and you will be primed to accept and receive without resistance. If you are not so sure about this, consider times when you’ve helped a friend or loved one in need. Chances are, you did it willingly and without judgment. Remember the compassion you felt for that person, and offer it to your own self. Be open. Be willing. Ask. Receive.

Today I am focused on love. I have been focused on holding that intention for the past three days. Here is what I have noticed:

Increased sense of self

More patience with my children

More energy and desire to “get things done”

A calm knowing that all is well

Creativity soaring

Mindful awareness of breathing patterns

Increased willingness to let go

Present in (almost) every moment

Understanding of the “slow down to speed up” philosophy

Detachment from outcome

Stronger attachment to sharing my gifts and talents

Exquisite sense of purpose

You may be thinking: How does one focus on love? What kind of love? What is love? How do you know it’s love? WHAT? Have you taken a hit of (airy) fairy dust, Tracy?

Perhaps it’s the fairy dust we all need to be enjoying together. What if you were to hold one intention for a whole week? How would you be able to hone your focus? You see, I have a ton of balls in the air, a lot on my plate, I am juggling...you get the gist. What I have come to realize is that I am not “bad” at focusing. I have trained myself away from focusing.

Ooh... Hold on a minute. Yes, a moment of self-disclosure. I have a tendency to be easily distracted, and when I am, I allow myself to get off course, and in that process, I trained myself away from my laser focus. Can you relate?

What if...you allowed yourself to hold one intention for a week? How would you change your attitude, focus, attention and accomplishments?

I invite you to choose one intention, hold it as your focal point for one week. That is it. You can take it further by writing it down, praying or meditating on it, speaking it out loud in your car or bathroom mirror, or even sharing it with the world. Choose the intention, hold it near and dear, and in every moment possible, bring your awareness back to your intention. Let me know how it goes.

Good intentions are at least, the seed of good actions: and every one ought to sow them, and leave it to the soil and the seasons whether he or any other gather their fruit. ~ William Temple, Sr.

Let’s look at my intention, love. My intention is to be, feel, do, love, speak, see, understand and invite love. This is in conjunction with a chakra mediation that a fantastic yoga instructor taught me. I have chosen simplicity so I can stay focused on the one thing: love.

In your mind, or say out loud:

I AM love

I FEEL love

I DO (acts of) love

I LOVE (the feeling of, sharing, demonstration of) love

I SPEAK (with, words of) love

I SEE love (in myself, in others, in my varying forms of entertainment)

I UNDERSTAND love (of myself, others)

I INVITE AND RECEIVE (more, feelings of) love

I invite you to share your experience, either via email, Facebook message or a comment on this blog post.

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

Learn more

Ask 3 Simple Questions:

There are many ways to apply laser focus to your life. If you find yourself scattered, slow down, take a deep breath, and if possible, stop what you are doing so you can investigate how you can sharpen your focus and get yourself on track.

It is not always easy, but slowing down and re-gaining focus can be simple, and I'm offering 3 simple questions you can ask yourself to help clarify your purpose, and begin to craft a plan to move yourself forward.

OR, experience 30 minutes free with option to enter coaching partnership. Are you willing to be fully supported in your life’s dreams? If not, why not? If so, how about now? Are you willing to invest in creating an exquisite sense of fulfillment?

How do you know when you are experiencing growing pains?
Young children often experience pain in their legs, the cause of which is difficult to pinpoint. Because growing pains is not actually a medical condition, doctors call it a “diagnosis of exclusion”. Excluding other potential maladies or injuries is the first order of business, and by exclusion, many parents find that their child is experiencing the general muscular discomfort referred to as “growing pains”. Consensus in the medical community is that bone growth does not cause pain. However, many children experience more growing pains during the rapid growth stages, into early adolescence. It is understood is that many children experience these pains after a very physically active day, and often for several days and nights in a row. Most doctors agree that the treatment for growing pains is a warm compress, massage and cuddling - a little TLC, if you will (insert winky smile at clever reference to my initials.)

If we piggy-back on a child’s experience of growing pains and the doctor’s diagnosis of exclusion, we may apply this to our own experience as adults. Have you ever gone through a difficult time, and yet all other variables seem to be in place? I certainly have. There have been times when I’ve felt stressed, afraid and overwhelmed, and yet so much good stuff was happening in my life. By process of elimination (or exclusion), I often find that during these times, I am experiencing growing pains - a general discomfort associated with a sustained high level of activity.

Think about it. We grow and stretch, and stretch a little more, and leap and stretch, and duck and dodge bullets, and deftly maneuver around roadblocks every day. When you experience an unexplained sense of discomfort, or possibly pain, which could manifest in the forms of sadness, anger, frustration or apathy (however fleetingly temporary), it is helpful to run through your personal checklist of needs, unmet needs and possible adverse health conditions if you have any. If you turn up empty handed, give a nod to the idea of growing pains. Perhaps you have been so active that your whole being needs to rest and recuperate.

The doctor’s diagnosis of growing pains, and the parent’s remedy is simple: rest, warm compress, massage and cuddling - a little TLC. We often barge ahead in life, rapidly barreling forward, without taking a moment to address some of our basic needs. We all need TLC, love, a massage and the equivalent of a warm compress. Reach out to those who are close to you. Ask for some extra support in the form of kind words, a listening ear, a hug or thoughts/prayer. At the same time, be kind and compassionate with yourself. Make sure you have attended to your needs. Pushing through the pain is sometimes recommended, and sometimes rest and recuperation are just what the doctor ordered. Know yourself well enough to distinguish what you really need.

If you want to learn more about establishing the mindset for growing thru your growing pains and achieving blissful success, schedule your COMPLIMENTARY 30 minute consult.

I am here by your side on your journey, cheering you on, applying the warm compress, and offering a lot of TLC. Know that you are fully supported in your dreams, and you WILL manifest them!

Zen and the art of what?! Here's the deal. Being awesome is something that can be achieved by simply being in the moment, and by being yourself. Y'know, "Zen". Sometimes my clients tell me, "I should really meditate more, but I'm not good at meditation. I guess I'm just not Zen." Huh? How does one become 'good' at meditation and ‘being Zen’?
I do not fancy myself a meditation expert by any stretch, but I'll share my personal belief about meditation, awesomeness and becoming more Zen. Step into the moment. Stepping into the present moment takes practice, just like learning another skill, sport or musical instrument.

Zen and the "art of awesomeness" is simply being in the moment. We can be in the moment by checking in with ourselves, breathing deeply and often, and by slowing down to notice what is going on around us and inside of us.

Let’s back up for just a moment, though. What’s up with this self-judgment? I hear “I should” and “I’m not good at” and “I guess I’m just not” a lot. Bim, bam, boom. Stop there. Pause, interrupt the pattern, breathe and then move forward.

"Zen spirituality does not confuse spirituality with thinking about God while one is peeling potatoes. Zen spirituality is just to peel the potatoes." ~ Alan Watts

You see, when we slow down and step into the moment, we achieve a Zen-like state. When we pause to check-in with ourselves, we create the foundation for meditation, Zen-like states and mindful presence.

Here are some quick tips to get started with a practice of being present so you can readily and easily step into your awesomeness every day (some call this “flow state” or “in the zone”).

Breathe deeply and often. You do not need to be stressed or seeking relaxation to breathe deeply. Just be aware of your breath, and pay attention to some of your breaths throughout the day. You will find at times you need to breathe deeply, and other times you will not. By taking deep breaths, you are being proactive about your health: manage your stress, blood pressure and heart rate, and oxygenate your cells. You will help the flow of energy and improve your posture. How’s that for feeling virtuous? Now you’re stepping into awesomeness.

Slow down to speed up. I’ve been saying this to clients, class and seminar participants. I tell it to my kids. And......sometimes (okay, quite often) I need to remind myself. Sometimes we need to slow down in order to speed up. Every step of the journey is important, no matter the final destination. If you want to succeed in any area of your life, you will develop this habit. Take the time to write your goals by hand every day, write 3 actionable items on your list (and finish them) every day, and reflect on your accomplishments at the end of the day. Slow down in order to speed up; these 3 small habits take all of 2 minutes and yet launch you forward at warp speed, if you will allow it.

Peel the potato. Do nothing more than what you are currently doing. Dedicate your focus, attention, energy and intention to one thing at a time. Multi-tasking as a means of efficiently completing tasks is a farce, and diverts and dilutes your attention, changing the outcome - much like water to paint. Shift gears between tasks. Close the book (even if temporarily) on one actionable item before moving to the next. Give your brain time to adjust and switch gears. Studies show that it can take up to 15 minutes for the brain to fully close-out and switch to the new action when one attempts to manage multiple tasks at once. Focus, grasshopper. You will accomplish more and you will feel more grounded.

As you travel along your path, know that you are fully supported, and I honor your experience as your own. If you would like to learn more about building the foundation for superb awesomeness, I am here. I offer unwavering support, and would be honored to be by your side.

So, many people are writing their reflections on 2012 as the year comes to a close. While I’m not one to jump on the bandwagon, I have to say that I feel the need to do the same and share some of my learning experiences as well.
First, 2012 has been an incredible year for me personally and professionally. I have experienced a number of ups and downs in both areas, have grown tremendously, and feel wiser, stronger and better-equipped for this next year, which is already looking like it will be AMAZING!

While not one to make Resolutions, I am working very intentionally toward some lofty goals that, frankly, scare the hell out of me. Yes... I feel scared. Yes... I feel worried I might fail, and yes, I know I’m not ‘supposed’ to worry and fear failure and all of that. But, I am also afraid of the huge success that is right there at my fingertips; just a smidge. There, I’ve self-disclosed. Now, can we get on with it?

Here’s what I’ve learned in 2012, in completely random order, and yet probably the perfect sequence:

Dating is not for the faint of heart. I’ve heard dating referred to as “feast or famine.” I feel VERY strongly that gorging/starving is really bad for our metabolism. So, I have chosen to just be myself and not play by the rules. That’s my personal wisdom, combined with that of other friends and clients who have experienced this ‘dating thing’. Be yourself in all areas, even if you're in committed partnership or not dating. Enjoy, don’t take yourself too seriously. Go, have fun, study the reflection you see in each person who you attract. Stay detached from any outcome, and remember that each person who comes into your life is there at the right time, for the right reason. There are no mistakes, only opportunities to learn and grow.

Solitude is WAY underrated. While we are social creatures by nature, there are quiet, alone times to be enjoyed, appreciated and savored. Recharge your batteries, do something loving for yourself - read a book, take a long bath, go for a walk, watch a movie or do nothing. Schedule daily solitude, even if 'just' for 10 minutes to begin or end your day. Savor your time to yourself and focus on YOU.

There is room for everyone. There is enough. YOU are enough. Learn to live a life without limits. There is only one thing in life that is obligatory: death. Everything else is a choice. Perhaps that’s a little black and white and even over-simplified, but give it a little time to marinate. You get to choose how you respond to whatever comes your way. There is plenty - love, resources, financial abundance, opportunities, air to breathe. There is always enough, and there is room for everyone. Go, stake your claim, and remember that there are no limits to what you can imagine and manifest.

Have fun every day. Make something up. Laugh at yourself. Make a game out of something totally boring or tedious. Life is too short for bullsh...oh, that’s the next bit of wisdom. Life is meant for living, so GO LIVE IT!

Life is too short for bullshit, so stop making it and stop taking it. ‘Nuf said.

Stop making RESOLUTIONS! Choose right now to set the intention you desire for yourself for the next year, for the next five, for your whole life. Write your own Vision of Success (or talk to me about it and I’ll help you) and rather than plan every little detail based on something that feels like an obligation, choose how to re-write or update your story, and make it happen. When you know what you want and WHY you want it, ‘making it happen’ willfeel effortless.

I wish you the best as you enter the newest chapter of your life, this new year. I invite you to take advantage of some free offers to get the new year started. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, enter your information in the form at the top right corner and you’ll gain access to EXCLUSIVE FREEBIES.*

Happy New Year!!! Best of success to you in 2013 and always!

Blessings. Gratitude. Love.

*(plus a free gift just for joining my list - I never share or sell information; this is for inside scoop only)

“Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.” - Kahlil Gibran
What a powerful statement. We’ve all heard the phrase, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger,” right? I suppose that is true, but I do not like the negative connotation, because my literal mind interprets that to mean that great suffering is always negative or that some form of death is imminent. Suffering and pain are a natural part of life. Stuff happens. Life happens, and we cannot control that. We can, however, control how we view life and what we make of our experiences. We can accept the lot we are given and not only make the best of it, but move it the direction we want it to go.

If out of suffering emerge the strongest of souls, then perhaps we need to reach deep down to decide how to use the difficult periods in our lives to build our character and emerge from the ashes stronger, more powerful and ready for action. We all have our own story, and if you know me personally or follow this blog, then you know that I’ve had a significant amount of life change in the past couple of years. Much of that change arose from profoundly painful decisions and experiences, but those were necessary in order for me to find my way to where I am now.

I used my pain as the impetus to start my new life. I will not say I have been able to to this with grace and dignity every step of the way, but I do my best every day given the circumstances and the resources I have (energy, emotional intelligence, time, strength.) I believe scars show as reminders of what we have learned, and will fade over time. I also believe, however, that the challenge is to keep the scars from hindering our ability to continue to move, as some scar tissue does after injury or surgery. This is a strong metaphor. If we leave our painful experiences in place and do nothing to massage, stretch or heal the damaged ares, we will eventually lose some of our mobility.

When the physical body sustains an injury or is recovering from surgery, there are three distinct stages of healing: Acute Inflammation, Repair and Remodeling. I compare the emotional and spiritual healing process to the physical, because I believe that the mind, body and spirit are interconnected, and frankly, linking our emotional healing to something tangible like tissue repair can give us hope and focus. The end of a relationship is an excellent example of the need for healing and recovery.

Almost everyone has experienced the loss of a relationship, either by their own choice or by the other person’s choice. It hurts, is often a blow to the ego and emotions, and can take some time to recover.

Stage 1. Acute Inflammation. This is the time immediately following injury. When a relationship ends, there is a period of pain, sometimes experienced as anger, hurt, frustration, sadness or some combination thereof. As with physical injury, this is very normal. The immediate response is pain, swelling, heat and redness. Inflammation is an imperative part of healing because it helps defuse the toxins to allow the healing process to begin. Plainly stated, we have to feel the injury, the pain, swelling of emotions, and discomfort in order to rid our system of the toxins and negativity that would otherwise fester into something far worse and potentially more damaging. As inflammation decreases, the repair process can begin.

Stage 2. Repair. Damaged structures begin the repair process by forming new connective tissues. This is a fragile time when the injury should not be touched. Only gentle stretching, beginning slowly, and gradually building in intensity over time. At this point, the healing process is building toward remodeling, the final stage.

There is always a period of time after a relationship ends when we need to get ourselves right before we “move on” to another relationship. There is no definite timeframe for this, but we all know we need to take the time to heal, work on figuring ourselves out, learning what we need to learn. This is the time when we are most fragile, and as with physical healing, it is recommended that you allow yourself to heal before hitting the ground running again.

Stage 3. Remodeling. This is the time when you need to take a more active role in your healing. Damaged tissues can be “remodeled” thru a series of range of movement exercises. How fantastically symbolic! Once you have experienced the pain of the injury, given yourself time to feel the pain, allowed the inflammation to push the toxins out of your system, gently eased back into life - into a more active role in your recovery - then you can really remodel and reshape your life.

Taking into account the natural healing process, we can treat difficult times as we would an injury or recovery from surgery by taking this attitude: “Here I am, what now?" or, "It is what it is, now what?” We accept that something has happened, and now we need to recover from it. How do we best do this? It seems for the most part that we readily accept a physical injury and the need to heal from it, but emotionally and spiritually, this presents as a larger challenge. If we change one thing, our perspective, and just accept that we need to heal and move forward, we will already begin to grow in the right direction.

“In the difficult are the friendly forces, the hands that work on us.” - Rainer Maria Rilke

We have the real opportunity to live fully, with deep meaning and fulfillment. We can all get there with acceptance, love and faith. Allow the hard times to help shape the amazing path in front of you. Let yourself feel the pain, let it flow, and then take an active part in your recovery and keep moving forward. As you travel in this amazing journey called life, you will encounter bumps, twists and turns; this is your time to make that jagged path into something beautiful.

“The positive thinker sees the invisible, feels the intangible and achieves the impossible.” ~ Unknown
Do you ever find yourself thinking really negative thoughts? Have you ever been caught off-guard by something “bad” or a series of “bad stuff” seemingly stacking-up against you? Do you then you ask yourself, “WTF?” (loosely translated, “What in the world?!”)

I’m a huge fan of overcoming old stuff and re-writing the story, which you’ll occasionally hear me say this way: Time to update your story. We get to choose how we see things. While we cannot have control over our surroundings or things that happen around or to us, we can certainly control or re-direct our thoughts to make things better for ourselves.

In our first interview crafting her Vision of Success, a now graduated client told me, “I want to log in to my bank account and not ask myself, ‘WTF??!!’ I just want to feel relaxed about it all.” After we had a clear picture of what she wanted for her finances and other areas of life, I worked-in the WTF and re-directed it in a way to not only make her giggle, but to also feel good about where she was headed. You see, as a coach, I get to see your life from a different perspective, and I can see your potential ~ and it excites and inspires me to no end!

So, re-direct and re-work the proverbial “WTF” from its original meaning (again, loosely translated, “What in the world?!”) to this:

WTF = Well, That’s FANTASTIC!!

Every upset, every unpleasant surprise, every dollar we wish we had, brings us the opportunity to change how we see and experience our life circumstances. When we think in positive terms, we can see things we never saw before, feel things we were never able to feel and achieve things we once thought were impossible.

Am I saying that you should think in terms of sunshine and lolipops? Not at all... That would be so fake that your subconscious would laugh you right out of your own head. But if you ask yourself what you are learning, IF you could learn something, and how you can take it and make something good out of it, then you are likely to change not only the way you see things, but how you DO things.

Trust me.

It takes some work, a little mindfulness, a wee bit of “fake it ‘til you make it” mentality, but you will notice a change.

Here’s what you need to do when something goes awfully wrong:

Breathe. This is not only a sign of life, it will bring your blood pressure under control (really, it will) and help you pause for a moment before you toss the baby out with the bathwater

Ask questions. What am I learning? Is there a way to turn this into something good?

Trust yourself; you know more than you think you do. Know that you always know what’s best for you, so if you make a choice to see and do things differently, then you will, and it’ll ultimately turn out well (or at least teach you something you were meant to learn)

Having a positive attitude is only part of the picture, but this is a great start and will get you moving in the right direction. Next week I will teach you a way to shift the “FML” mentality to something more productive and positive. Until then, remember Well, that’s FANTASTIC! And you will at least laugh a little, if not make a positive change by thinking differently.

“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.” ~ Teilhard de Chardin

In Western culture, we are now beginning to understand the importance of the physical, emotional and spiritual connectedness of overall personal wellness. I believe that in order to be well in one area - for example, physically - all other areas must also be well. How does one achieve this overall wellness?

Let’s break it down by category to give a brief overview of each, and then tie the three parts together to complete the picture.

There are many schools of thought on the origins of dis-ease, but most can be traced to some form of physical tension or stress in the body, which is often caused or exacerbated by emotional distress or discomfort. Whether one believes that specific emotional distress causes specific physical ailments, we all understand that the effects of prolonged stress on the physical body and emotional state can be detrimental to health and wellbeing.

Ensuring adequate nutrition, hydration, exercise and sleep is one way to relieve the stress of daily life. While tending to our physical needs, it is also very important to build our tribe of support around us to help us with our emotional needs. Developing a spiritual practice of regular prayer or meditation, deep breathing exercises and yoga or gentle stretching and energy work such as Reike, build the foundation for healing, restoration, and nourishing the body, mind and spirit.**

**As a coach and as a living human being, my approach to all areas of life is holistic in nature. I will only share insights that I believe to be helpful, reminding you to check-in with yourself, your physician or mental health care provider. Sometimes it takes a team of experts to bring us back into balance physically, emotionally and spiritually. When you have the right team in place, you are more likely to reach the level of success you desire. If you have not found answers to your questions, I highly encourage you to keep asking until you find an answer that provides a viable solution that not only meets you where you are, but takes you where you want to be in terms of your physical, emotional and spiritual wellbeing.